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FORMER President Jimmy Carter has died at age 100. Carter , the 39th president of the United States , died today after nearly two years in hospice care. His son Chip Carter confirmed the former president died on Sunday around 3:45 pm ET. Carter died peacefully surrounded by his family who paid an emotional tribute to the former leader. His son Chip said: “My father was a hero, not only to me but to everyone who believes in peace, human rights, and unselfish love. “My brothers, sister, and I shared him with the rest of the world through these common beliefs. Read more on Jimmy Carter "The world is our family because of the way he brought people together, and we thank you for honoring his memory by continuing to live these shared beliefs.” Public events will commemorate Carter in Atlanta and Washington, D.C. The former president decided to live out the remainder of his days at his home in Plains, Georgia . Carter, the beloved Democrat and Nobel Peace Prize winner, had experienced several health issues in recent years including melanoma that spread to his liver and brain. Most read in The US Sun He became the longest-living president and the first to make it 100 years old. Carter's death came over a year after the death of his wife, Rosalynn Carter , who died on November 19, 2023, at age 96. Two days before her death, Rosalynn joined her husband in hospice care at their home in Georgia. The former first lady and fierce advocate for mental health was diagnosed with dementia in early 2023. Before his death, Jimmy Carter was the first to pay tribute to his wife of 77 years, "Rosalynn was my equal partner in everything I ever accomplished. "She gave me wise guidance and encouragement when I needed it. As long as Rosalynn was in the world, I always knew somebody loved and supported me." During Rosylann's service in late November 2023, Amy, the Carters' daughter, read her father's love letter he dedicated to his wife while he was in the Navy. "My darling, every time I have ever been away from you, I have been thrilled when I returned to discover just how wonderful you are," Carter penned more than 70 years ago. "While I am away I try to convince myself that you really are not, could not, be as sweet and beautiful as I remember. "But when I see you I fall in love with you all over again. Does that seem strange to you? It doesn't to me. "Goodbye darling, until tomorrow, Jimmy." Jimmy Carter is survived by his four children, James, Donnel, Amy, and Jack, as well as 22 grandchildren and great-grandchildren. PRESIDENT CARTER Carter served in the White House from 1977 to 1981. Prior to his presidency, he served as a Georgia State Senator from 1963 to 1967 and as the 76th governor of Georgia from 1971 to 1975. Carter was considered a longshot for the presidency when he announced his presidential campaign in December 1974. As a dark-horse candidate, Carter was not well-known outside of the home state of Georgia. However, Carter's two-year campaign trail paid off when he won the Democratic nomination and narrowly defeated incumbent Republican president Gerald Ford during the 1976 presidential election. Carter, who entered office in January 1977, took over a nation that was still reeling from the events of the Vietnam War , where approximately 59,000 US troops died on the frontlines. Two days after being sworn in as president, Carter famously pardoned all the draft evaders from the Vietnam War. But, his presidency was marred by rising energy costs, mounting inflation, and continuing tensions with foreign adversaries, including the threat of nuclear war with the Soviet Union. Carter's hopes for reelection eventually crumbled due to the Iran hostage crisis. On November 4, 1979, a group of militarized Iranian college students stormed the US Embassy in Tehran and took 52 American diplomats and citizens hostage. The American public turned on Carter for his soft approach to the crisis, which lasted 444 days. The hostage crisis paralyzed his presidency and hampered his efforts at a second term. Carter would eventually lose the 1980 presidential election in a landslide to Republican presidential candidate Ronald Reagan . LIFE AFTER THE WHITE HOUSE After leaving the Oval Office, Carter devoted his life to diplomacy and human rights work . He founded the Carter Center in 1982, an organization with a fundamental commitment to human rights and the alleviation of human suffering, according to their website. The non-profit has worked to improve the quality of life for people in countries all over the world. In 2002, Jimmy Carter won the Nobel Peace Prize for his work seeking peaceful resolutions to global conflicts, advancing human rights and democracy, and promoting economic and social development. The Carter Center also devoted some resources to ensuring free and fair elections and monitored the 2020 elections in the United States . Carter had mostly retired from the public eye in recent years, particularly in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic and a cancer diagnosis in 2015. While Carter lived a more private life in his latter years, he was vocal in his opposition to certain political moves of the presidents who followed him. He disagreed with Reagan’s handling of peace in the Middle East and was opposed to the Iraq War under George W Bush . Carter criticized the Trump administration but also disagreed with his fellow Democratic president, Barack Obama, regarding the use of drone strikes against suspected terrorists. On his 96th birthday , the former president was honored with a parade of golf carts and other vehicles by local residents, which he and his wife observed from their residence while wearing masks due to the Covid-19 pandemic. During the 2020 presidential election, Carter endorsed Joe Biden at the Democratic National Convention and said via video, "Joe Biden was my first and most effective supporter in the Senate ... For decades, he’s been my loyal and dedicated friend." To mark his first 100 days in office, Biden and First Lady Jill Biden visited Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter at their home in Plains, Georgia. "We sat and talked about the old days," Biden told reporters afterward. Jimmy Carter was the longest-lived US president in history, surpassing George HW Bush , who was 94 at the time of his death. READ MORE SUN STORIES 10 Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter and their four children Credit: Getty - Contributor 10 Jimmy and Rosalynn were college sweethearts Credit: The Jimmy Carter Library and Museum 10 Jimmy Carter's love letter, which he penned more than 70 years ago, was read at Rosalynn Carter's service in late November 2023 Credit: Getty - Contributor More to follow... For the latest news on this story, keep checking back at The U.S. Sun, your go-to destination for the best celebrity news, sports news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures, and must-see videos . Like us on Facebook at TheSunUS and follow us on X at @TheUSSun

Winding down the decades-long, off-and-on effort to extend the Mark Clark Expressway from West Ashley to James and Johns islands isn't as easy as it might sound. But it has to happen: Charleston County voters said so, and County Council must follow through. At issue is more than a decision to end an ill-conceived, poorly supported and too costly road project; also at issue is the financial impact to both the county and the state, which have spent tens of millions of dollars on planning and permitting work to date. And at issue is whether the county will have to reimburse the state part of what has been spent so far. Also at issue is whether the remaining amount of the state's $420 million commitment to the project can be redirected to a different, far more worthy project in the county. The state's easiest and most obvious move is to reject County Council's entreaty Tuesday to continue working to make the 526 project shovel ready — in case a few billion dollars of state or federal money magically appears to build it. Its cost already has ballooned to $2.3 billion but possibly much, much more, and the county also was going to spend about $600 million in financing costs had the sales tax extension passed in a Nov. 5 referendum. But it failed, 61% to 39%, because voters didn't want the project . State Transportation Infrastructure Bank Board member Chris Murphy, a House member from North Charleston, was spot-on when he told his colleagues Wednesday : "This was a referendum on 526, and the voters in Charleston voted overwhelmingly to say 'No,' but you're coming to us and asking us to say 'Yes.' In my responsibility as a member of this board and to my constituency — which is the entire state, not just Charleston County — I don't see how it is fiscally prudent to continue down this road to nowhere. ... I am not in favor of spending another dime of Infrastructure Bank money on this project when the voters of Charleston have overwhelmingly rejected it." Unfortunately, Charleston County Council has opted to hold its discussions and strategizing about the Mark Clark extension behind closed doors. On Tuesday, the council voted in public to have Council Chairman Herb Sass respond to the S.C. Department of Transportation "to negotiate the terms of the (intergovernmental agreement) with the STIB and SCDOT pursuant to the discussion in executive session." What discussion? And what's to be negotiated? The council's penchant for secrecy when it comes to politically sensitive topics is not helpful. The State Transportation Infrastructure Bank Board declined to come to the county's assistance Wednesday, but that actually might be what the county wants. If the state terminates the contract, then the county doesn't have to reimburse it half the cost of what has been spent so far, which could require the county to stroke a check for about $25 million. As The Post and Courier's Nick Reynolds reports, a final say is expected to come from the Joint Bond Review Committee, which vets all major state funding grants before approval by the State Fiscal Accountability Authority, led by Gov. Henry McMaster. The committee members need to uphold the bank board's decision to end things now. Tens of millions of dollars have been wasted on permitting and environmental assessment costs to date, but that's no reason to waste more. The larger question is whether what remains of the state's $420 million commitment to the project can be shifted to a worthy project in the county. We urge state officials to have the Infrastructure Bank bank that amount on the county's behalf in the months and years to come. Click here for more opinion content from The Post and Courier.

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Where to Watch Wofford vs. South Carolina on TV or Streaming Live – Nov. 23Assistant Director-General, World Health Organisation (WHO), Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu has urged Nigeria and other African countries to prioritise investments in domestic institutions in order to withstand the health crisis. Ihekweazu who made this call while delivering a keynote address at the second APIN Public Health Initiatives’ Annual Health Symposium themed, “Securing our Future: Strengthening Global Health Security in Nigeria,” noted that investment and strengthening of domestic institutions and health systems respectively, would engender a better understanding of health crisis and also drive progress. According to him, Nigeria and middle-income countries must focus on building and strengthening their weak institutions which he insists perpetuates a cycle of dependence. He said: “The question for us collectively is, how do we build institutions that will respond not only to today’s crisis, not only to today’s crisis but at the same time, lay the foundation for long-term self-reliance and health security. “All global health security depends on local health and local health security depends on local institutions that can organize themselves to prevent, detect, respond and recover. Ihekweazu who oversees the Division of Health Emergency Intelligence and Surveillance Systems at WHO, disclosed that Nigeria was the largest beneficiary of investments from the global fund with a budget of about 400 million in 2024 alone and over 4.8 billion invested since 2002. A former Director-General of the Nigeria Center for Disease Control (NCDC), Ihekweazu urged middle-income countries including Nigeria to commit financial resources to addressing health challenges confronting the country. “While foreign partners have a role to play, the ultimate responsibility must rest with us and how we are building and empowering our institutions to do this. Countries must put their own money, put down their own money to act on these challenges and not outsource our problems so completely. “To do this, countries must put down their own money to act on these challenges and not outsource our problems so completely.” “We need to focus on strengthening our institutions, not just for today’s crisis, but for tomorrow’s unknowns. Ultimately, our ability to respond to epidemics, to absorb resources and to transform lives, depends on the strength of the institution. “Strong institutions are not just about responding to an immediate crisis, but about the ability to absorb development resources. It is also about translating aid into action and delivering lasting improvements. “We truly need a paradigm shift in global health companies building strong, resilient local institutions should be at the centre of efforts for health security and not an afterthought. External actors can be supportive but the leadership, expertise and executive execution must rest with those closest to the challenges and opportunities. Only then can we ensure the sustainability and true impact of these investments. Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Pate, gave assurances the Federal Government was committed to improving public health outcomes through collaborative and integrated strategies. through the “One Health” approach in order to integrate all programmes and tackle health issues with effective responses. Represented by the Director of Port Health Services, Dr Nse Akpan, the minister who said this was important in order to contain and eliminate all diseases of importance in the country, added that long-term plans were in place to ensure the elimination and eradication of diseases were achieved. Pate who acknowledged the progress made in combating diseases such as malaria, HIV, and tuberculosis as leading to a decline in their prevalence, maintained that a multi-sectoral strategy was key to addressing diseases of public health importance. “So we need to work collectively to ensure that we achieve this. The government cannot do it alone, we need more stakeholders to come up together and see how we can tackle these diseases.” Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of APIN, Dr Prosper Okonkwo noted that the Symposium was aimed at providing a platform for relevant stakeholders to identify the gaps in topical health issues and discover how best to achieve sustainable results, especially in the face of new and re-emerging disease occasioned by climate change. Okonkwo added that the critical role of strong institutions in global health security was needed to enhance Nigeria’s preparedness for health emergencies. “We’re just saying, How can we get ready so that we don’t get caught on our way? It’s all about trying to bring up issues that can make us better prepared for things that they say it’s not if, but when. “What we are saying is how can we make our health systems better ready when things happen? The example that we had was COVID and for countries where their systems were okay, COVID weakened it and for countries that were already weak, COVID finished it. “What we are saying is can we get our system to a level that can make us ready.”

Goa’s image won’t take a hit, it has deep connect with tourists: KhaunteTAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Baker Mayfield already has matched his career high for touchdown passes in a season, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have won three straight games to climb back to the top of the NFC South standings. The quarterback is trying to lead Tampa Bay to a fourth consecutive division title, and he thinks the Buccaneers (7-6) are going to have to play even better down the stretch not only to achieve their goal of earning a playoff berth but making a deep postseason run. “We will take wins. I don’t really care how it looks,” Mayfield said after a sloppy 28-13 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders lifted Tampa Bay back over .500 in its bid to overcome a stretch in which it lost five of six games. “But offensively, we will have to be a lot more consistent for us to be able to make this push that we want to do, and we know that,” Mayfield added. “There is a lot of ball left, and we have to continue to get better.” Mayfield threw for 295 yards and three touchdowns against the Raiders. He also turned the ball over three times in the first half to help Las Vegas stay close until the fourth quarter. RELATED COVERAGE Steelers believe they’re Super Bowl contenders. The next 3 weeks will see if they’re right Tua Tagovailoa’s strong play has helped keep the Dolphins’ playoff hopes alive Panthers lose rookie RB Jonathon Brooks for the season to a torn ACL; same knee he injured at Texas This is the third straight season the Bucs have needed a strong stretch run to pull out of a midseason tailspin and give themselves a chance to get back to the postseason. Mayfield has thrown for 28 TDs to match the total he threw in resurrecting a stalled career with Tampa Bay a year ago. The Bucs, 7-1 in December/January games dating to last season, are the only NFC team that made the playoffs each of the past four seasons. “We’ve got four weeks to play. We’re happy to be playing meaningful football in December. We understand what that means,” coach Todd Bowles said. “We have to go out every week and try to squeeze out these games, but it feels good.” The AP Top 25 college football poll is back every week throughout the season! Get the poll delivered straight to your inbox with AP Top 25 Poll Alerts. Sign up here . What’s working The improvement of the running game has been a big part of the team’s success. The Bucs rushed for 152 yards against the Raiders, giving them 100-plus on the ground in 10 of 13 games. They reached that number in nine of 34 games over the previous two regular seasons. Rachaad White scored the team’s 14th rushing touchdown. That’s one more than the Bucs had combined in 2022 (five) and 2023 (eight). What needs help While the offensive line opened gaping holes for the running game against Las Vegas, it failed to provide adequate pass protection for Mayfield. The Raiders had four sacks and eight quarterback hits. Mayfield was intercepted twice and lost a fumble that led to Las Vegas’ only touchdown. Stock up Rookie WR Jalen McMillan had four receptions for 59 yards and two TDs — all season highs — against the Raiders. He’s the first Tampa Bay rookie with multiple TDs receiving in a game since O.J. Howard in 2017. Stock down Rookie punter Jack Browning didn’t distinguish himself in his Bucs debut. After hitting a 49-yarder that was returned 16 yards on his first punt, he had a 39-yarder returned 14 yards and a 40-yarder that Raiders punt returner Ameer Abdullah was able to fair catch at the Las Vegas 20. “It’s a work in progress,” Bowles said of how Browning, the third punter the Bucs have used this season, looked. “I’m going to brush it off to rookie jitters and we’ll go from there.” Injuries S Antoine Winfield Jr (knee) and RB Bucky Irving (back) were lost during the first half against the Raiders. Bowles said Monday that Winfield may be sidelined a couple of weeks, meaning he could miss road games against the Los Angeles Chargers and Dallas Cowboys. Irving’s status will be determined later in the week. Key numbers 19, 371⁄2. LB Lavonte David continues to impress in his 13th season. He had a sack, quarterback hit and fumble recovery against Las Vegas. The fumble recovery was the 19th of his career, most among players since he entered the NFL in 2012. He has 371⁄2 career sacks, including four this season. Next up Visit the Chargers, the only opponent the Bucs will face over the remaining four games that has a winning record. ___ NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

Boeing lays off hundreds in Washington and California as part of cuts announced previouslyGarrett Wilson has experienced a lot of losing in his three seasons with the New York Jets. Ten losses in his rookie year. Ten last year. And 10 — and counting — this season. The latest came Sunday, when New York held a late lead at Miami but blew it and lost, something that has been an embarrassingly way too common theme. “When you’re up in the fourth quarter, all of a sudden it starts to feel like you have a losing problem,” the wide receiver said after the Jets’ 32-26 overtime loss . “You have a gene or some (thing).” It’s as good a theory as any at this point, especially for frustrated fans who have watched the Jets (3-10) miss the postseason for 14 straight years . It’s the longest active drought in the NFL, a skid that also currently tops any franchise in the NBA, WNBA, NHL or Major League Baseball. “Losing hurts in general,” right guard Alijah Vera-Tucker said Monday. “So when you stack up those L’s, that’s obviously not where anybody in this building wants to be. That’s not anybody’s standard at all.” Instead, these Jets are setting dubious marks. They have lost a franchise-worst five games in which they held a fourth-quarter lead. And they’ve done it in three straight games. RELATED COVERAGE Mayfield says streaking Bucs will have to play even better down the stretch to return to playoffs Steelers believe they’re Super Bowl contenders. The next 3 weeks will see if they’re right Tua Tagovailoa’s strong play has helped keep the Dolphins’ playoff hopes alive New York has nine consecutive losing seasons, also the longest active skid in the NFL. The Jets couldn’t even enjoy what interim coach Jeff Ulbrich said Monday was Aaron Rodgers’ “best performance of the season.” The 41-year-old quarterback threw for 339 yards — ending a 34-game 300-yard passing drought in the regular season — and a 3-yard touchdown pass to Davante Adams. It wasn’t enough. Not when the defense and special teams were having costly breakdowns. Again, with the Jets holding a late lead. And losing. The AP Top 25 college football poll is back every week throughout the season! Get the poll delivered straight to your inbox with AP Top 25 Poll Alerts. Sign up here . “I wouldn’t say more frustrating, but probably equally frustrating,” Ulbrich said of the latest loss. “There has been, in my opinion, seven games that have come down to the end of the game and have been within one score and we didn’t get it done, and for a lot of different reasons when you look at the span of that seven games. “But we haven’t been good enough in those moments, and we need to be.” What’s working The passing game. The Jets’ offense with Rodgers hasn’t been nearly as dynamic through the air as most expected. But it has come alive lately, and probably not coincidentally with Rodgers overcoming some nagging leg injuries. The 300-yard game at Miami had Rodgers looking more like the vintage version of the four-time MVP. He was 27 of 39 passing with a season-high 8.7 yards per attempt, leading the Jets to a season-best 402 total yards. “I thought he did a very good job, and obviously the statistics would support that,” Ulbrich said. “He had an excellent day. I thought the offense had probably their best performance of the year.” What needs help Defense vs. the screen. Tua Tagovailoa made quick work of the Jets’ defense with a quick release and the Dolphins’ use of screen passes. Ulbrich counted 12 of them. “I’ve never been a part of a game like that,” he said. Ulbrich credited Miami for offsetting New York’s aggressive front and slowing it. “I’m taking a hard look at our screen defense,” he said. “We need to be better vs. the screens. Sometimes that’s from an execution standpoint and that’s sometimes from a call standpoint. So we’ve got to make sure that that type of day doesn’t occur for the defense. And I have a big part of that.” Stock up LB Jamien Sherwood. With C.J. Mosley going down with various injuries, Sherwood’s playing time has increased in his fourth season — and he has produced. He had 18 total tackles, including 13 solo, against the Dolphins and added to his team-leading season total. Sherwood became the first player in the NFL to have 18 or more tackles, two or more for losses and one pass defensed since Denver’s Alex Singleton did so in Week 6 of the 2022 season. Stock down Special teams. Anders Carlson made all four of his field-goal attempts, including a go-ahead 42-yarder with 52 seconds left in the fourth quarter. But his kickoff on the ensuing play was returned 45 yards by Malik Washington, helping set up Jason Sanders’ 42-yarder with 7 seconds remaining. Carlson acknowledged he was supposed to kick into the end zone for a touchback but mis-hit it. The coverage unit also fell flat in limiting Washington’s return. Injuries Ulbrich had no new information on the injuries to RT Morgan Moses, who hurt his left wrist in pregame warmups and left after the first half, or special teams ace Irvin Charles (knee). ... RB Breece Hall (knee) and CB Sauce Gardner missed the game, but Ulbrich said “I’d like to think they’ve got a chance” to play Sunday at Jacksonville. Key number 0 — The Jets had no hits on Tagovailoa, who threw 47 times. “As soon as he snapped the ball, the ball was gone,” Sherwood said. What’s next New York heads to Jacksonville next Sunday, when the loser will move up in the draft order. The Jets currently hold the No. 7 spot, according to tankathon.com, while the Jaguars (3-10) are at No. 5 entering Monday. ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL

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Wales vs South Africa: Date, kick-off time, TV channel, live stream, team news, lineups, h2h, oddsWhat a merger between Nissan and Honda means for the automakers and the industryBighorn sheep hunters in backcountry areas would be required to report their success within 24 hours under a proposed amendment suggested by Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission vice chairman Pat Tabor. The commission will meet virtually on Thursday, Dec. 19, beginning at 8:30 a.m. The meeting will be streamed live on Fish, Wildlife & Parks' website and YouTube. Tabor has some hunters are taking advantage of unlimited bighorn sheep hunting units. In these areas, hunting tags can be purchased over the counter instead of through drawings in which success rates are low. His proposed amendment would also require FWP to close the season within 24 hours after the backcountry quotas are met and to require head and cape inspection within 48 hours. Right now, the seasons are closed within 48 hours and the inspection is required within 72 hours. The proposed amendment stated the current regulation "leaves potential for the season to remain open for 96 hours or four days after the quota is met. This unnecessarily increases the potential for each unit to go over quota. This original timeline was established when technology was extremely limited. With technological advances it has become easier for hunters to check in and report their harvest. This new technology enables hunters to communicate from anywhere in the world including the deepest parts of the Beartooth mountain range, primarily through text. The additional time for inspection is to allow more time to exit the backcountry." Last December Tabor attempted to remove the ability for bighorn sheep hunters in unlimited backcountry areas to purchase a bonus point. are designed to make it easier for a hunter to win a tag through the state's drawing system. At last year's meeting, Craig Neal, who has guided bighorn sheep hunting in unlimited districts for Broken Hart Adventures outfitting in Townsend since the 1990s, said some hunters are selling waypoints to where the big rams can be found as well as hunt plans. He also said some hunters after harvesting a ram are waiting to report the kill to allow another hunter to shoot a ram before the quota is registered as full. According to information provided by FWP, from 2007-2019 an average of 225 licenses were sold annually in HDs 500, 501 and 502 — backcountry bighorn sheep units in the Beartooth Mountains — yet only 156 hunters went into the districts. In 2024 the quota in HD 500 was filled with two rams. Since 2008, the quota has been exceeded twice, met 10 times and unfilled five times. In HD 501 the quota of two rams was exceeded with three killed in 2024. Since 2008 the quota has been exceeded three times, met seven times and unfilled six times. In HD 501, the quota of two rams was exceeded in 2024 with four killed. Since 2008 the quota has been exceeded five times, met twice and unfilled nine times. “While quota overruns do occur, they are relatively rare and seldom significant,” Region 5 wildlife biologist Shawn Stewart wrote in his analysis last year. "These quota overruns average out over time and the quotas are conservative to allow for the possibility of overrun.” The amendment was not requested by FWP, which wrote it does not expect any "population level impacts" from the change, if approved. Those who want to make a comment on Zoom must register on FWP’s website by noon on Dec. 18. Written comment on most agenda items were accepted through Nov. 27. Other topics the commission will address include regulations requiring anglers who catch smallmouth bass on Placid Lake to catch, kill and report the nonnative fish; amendments to allow black bear hunters in backcountry units in the upper Flathead drainage more time, along with other quota changes for antelope, bighorn sheep, deer and elk in specific hunting districts. For the , background on the scheduled topics and public comments, go to the Fish and Wildlife Commission page on the FWP website.BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Louisiana’s GOP-dominated legislature passed tax cuts on personal and corporate income on Friday in exchange for a statewide sales tax increase, giving Gov. Jeff Landry much of what he wanted after his original tax reform package faced mounting resistance from lawmakers and lobbyists. The final passage of the tax measures wrapped up a special legislative session launched Nov. 6 by the governor and his allies. They said their purpose was to make the state’s tax code more business friendly, create jobs and reverse trends of outward migration from the state. It was the third special legislative session called by Landry, a Republican, since he assumed office in January. Critics warned the tax reforms would primarily benefit corporate shareholders and wealthy taxpayers while the sales tax increase would exacerbate Louisiana’s regressive tax system where poorer households pay a higher percentage of their income on taxes. Landry called the tax reforms “historic” and said that they allowed all Louisianans to keep more money in their pockets and would spur business investment. “Today we have made generational change in this state,” Landry said. “We now stand at the threshold of a new era for Louisiana.” A flat 3% income tax Lawmakers approved a flat 3% individual income tax rate, leading to a $1.3 billion cut. Previously, the personal income tax rate had stood at 4.25% for people earning $50,000 or more. Louisiana Republicans said the measure advanced their goal of ultimately eliminating the income tax in the future. “Income tax is a mandate; you have to pay it. You get punished for making more money,” said Republican Rep. Julie Emerson, who spearheaded the legislation. She argued consumption-based taxes were fairer: “Sales tax is a choice,” Emerson said. Lawmakers also noted that other Southern states like Arkansas , Mississippi and North Carolina have recently reduced their income taxes. “We’re on the same trajectory as other states around us to be competitive,” Republican Sen. Franklin Foil said. As part of the legislative package, lawmakers doubled the standard deduction for seniors and nearly tripled the standard deduction for individuals, effectively eliminating income tax on the lowest income households. Lawmakers also redirected $280 million in vehicle sales tax funds from several major infrastructure projects for the next two years in order to help offset the income tax cut. Corporate tax cuts The state’s new corporate income tax rate will be a flat 5.5%, reducing the highest tier from 7.5%. Landry had wanted a 3.5% flat rate. Louisiana’s corporate income tax rate had been the highest in the South according to the Tax Foundation, a conservative think tank. Lawmakers repealed the 0.275% corporate franchise tax, a levy on businesses operating on the state worth more than $500 million in annual revenue that went to a state savings account. Republican lawmakers had decried the tax as an arbitrary penalty on business. Landry and other Republican lawmakers had touted these tax cuts as crucial to removing obstacles to attract job-generating companies to the state and to improve Louisiana’s place on Tax Foundation’s rankings for business climate. “Louisiana just became a much more attractive place to do business,” Louisiana Economic Development Secretary Susan Bourgeois said. Sales tax hike With the personal income tax reductions reducing annual revenue by $1.3 billion, Landry’s original plan had called for applying sales taxes to dozens of services like car-washing, dog-grooming and lobbying. He also sought to eliminate large tax incentives for the restoration of historic buildings and the film industry. Those proposals were defeated — except for a new sales tax on digital goods and services — following stiff opposition from Republicans and special interest groups, leading to a bigger sales tax hike than Landry initially proposed. Lawmakers raised the state sales tax to 5%, equivalent to an increase of one cent on every dollar spent. In 2030, the state sales tax will be reduced to 4.75%. The state’s current sales tax stood at 4%, along with a temporary 0.45% sales tax that had been set to expire next year. Louisiana already had the highest combined state and average local sales tax in the country at 9.56%, according to the Tax Foundation. Louisiana has the 10th most regressive tax system in the country, according to the left-leaning Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy. Jan Moller, executive director of the liberal think tank Invest in Louisiana, said the sales tax hike and other changes take the state “in the wrong direction.” “I think it will ensure that low- and moderate-income families continue to pay a higher effective tax rate in Louisiana than those at the very top,” he said. Republican leaders said they did not believe the increased sales tax would cancel out the benefits of the income tax cut for lower- and middle-income families. Sen. Minority Leader Gerald Boudreaux said the Democratic Caucus had supported the bills — only one Democratic Senator dissented — in order to have a seat at the table in shaping the process, such as pushing to preserve the film industry tax credit. “All of those changes represent what’s best for the state, and they’re now in a document — that was not previously there,” Boudreaux said on the Senate floor. House Democrats were more fractured than their Senate counterparts, but many still voted in support of the overall tax package. Constitutional changes The tax reform package included a significant rewrite to a notoriously convoluted section of the state’s constitution, Article 7. The amendment, which will go before voters on March 29, removes large amounts of tax exemptions from constitutional protection and intends to give lawmakers more latitude to end these exemptions in the future. The constitutional amendment also enables a permanent $2,000 raise for teachers, made possible by liquidating several education trust funds to pay off early nearly $2 billion in school district debt. And it inserts a “growth limit” on the amount of money lawmakers can direct to recurring expenses each year based on calculations of economic growth in the state — a measure proposed by conservative lawmakers. ___ Associated Press writer Kevin McGill contributed to this report. ___ Brook is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. Follow Brook on the social platform X: @jack_brook96

Will New Year's Eve be loud or quiet? What are the top 2025 resolutions? AP-NORC poll has answersGrand Opening of the Rees Jones "Woods" golf course announced at Boca Woods Country ClubFederal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said on Dec. 4 that it is unlikely the U.S. central bank will lose its independence in the incoming Trump administration. “I’m not concerned that there’s some risk that we would lose our statutory independence because I do think that those set of ideas are strongly believed by people,” Powell said at The New York Times’ DealBook Summit in a wide-ranging interview with host Andrew Ross Sorkin. Powell stressed the importance of the U.S. central bank’s independence and why it is necessary for the broader economy, reiterating the significance of making monetary policy decisions that the administration or Congress cannot reverse. “That gives us the ability to make these decisions for the benefit of all Americans at all times, not for any particular political party or political outcome,” the Fed chief said. “We’re supposed to achieve maximum employment and price stability for the benefit of all Americans and keep out of politics completely.” Powell was nominated to helm the Federal Reserve in Trump’s first term. He was nominated to a second term by President Joe Biden. Powell stated that another reason for the Fed’s independence is that it is self-funded. The central bank’s operations are funded mainly from the interest earned on its securities. After receiving funds to cover its expenses and transfers, the Fed transfers the net earnings to the Treasury. In 2023, the Federal Reserve System registered a loss of more than $114 billion. After years of sending net earning remittances to the Treasury, it has been on a losing streak for more than two years. “We’ve got strong legal independence, and we do try to run the Fed respectfully,” Powell said. Incoming Treasury secretary nominee Scott Bessent proposed in October the idea of a shadow Fed chair. The president-elect would nominate and seek Senate confirmation of Powell’s successor as early as possible, long before Powell’s term ends in May 2026. A shadow Fed chair could ensure that the financial markets become indifferent to what the incumbent says or enacts, Bessent said. In recent months, Powell has dismissed the question of whether he would resign if Trump, after his inauguration in January, were to ask him to and the question of whether the president-elect could fire him. Sorkin called the shadow Fed chair proposal an attempt to undermine Powell, who then told the CNBC personality, “I don’t think that’s on the table at all.” “There’s got to be trust and mutual respect and acknowledgment of the different authorities and boundaries that we have,” he said. “But a very constructive relationship, because, you know, in times of crisis, we work much more together under the law.” Powell said he’s confident that he will have “the same kind of relationship” with Bessent once he’s confirmed as he has had with other Treasury secretaries. He said he expects to have good relations with the Trump administration. Regarding White House influence and communication, Sorkin shared a story about former Fed Chair Paul Volcker’s meeting with President Ronald Reagan and his chief of staff, James Baker, in 1984 in the president’s library next to the Oval Office. During the meeting, Reagan was quiet, and Baker told Volcker that the president was ordering him not to raise interest rates before the election. “I was stunned,” Volcker wrote in his memoir. “I later surmised that the library location had been chosen because, unlike the Oval Office, it probably lacked a taping system.” Powell said he has not experienced that type of situation under either the Trump or Biden administration. While Powell stopped short of providing hints about what monetary authorities will do later this month, his colleagues have recently discussed their positions on the state of interest rates. Based on commentary from Fed officials, the consensus appears to be that more interest rate cuts will occur in 2025, but the pace might come into question. Minutes from last month’s Federal Open Market Committee policy meeting revealed that officials believe interest rates will be lowered more “gradually.” St. Louis Federal Reserve President Alberto Musalem said at a Bloomberg monetary policy conference this week that it would be appropriate to loosen restrictive monetary policy. At the same time, Musalem said, policymakers might need to consider slowing the easing cycle. “Along this baseline path, it seems important to maintain policy optionality, and the time may be approaching to consider slowing the pace of interest rate reductions, or pausing to carefully assess the current economic environment, incoming information, and evolving outlook,” he said. Fed Gov. Christopher Waller, speaking at a Dec. 2 American Institute for Economic Research event, said he thinks rate cuts are necessary until monetary authorities achieve a more neutral policy rate. While recent economic data suggest that “inflation may be stalling at a level meaningfully above 2 percent,” Waller said he is leaning toward another reduction to the policy rate at the next meeting. November reports showed that all three inflation metrics—the consumer price index, the producer price index, and the personal consumption expenditure price index—rose in October from the previous month. The Fed will hold its two-day policy meeting on Dec. 17 and Dec. 18.

Share Tweet Share Share Email An Interview with Feras Mousilli , Managing Partner of Lloyd & Mousilli TechBullion recently had the opportunity to catch up with Dr. Feras Mousilli , the Managing Partner of Lloyd & Mousilli , an international boutique law firm specialising in intellectual property and technology law, with a focus on startups. The following is an excerpt from an interview that our Editorial Staff conducted in Autumn 2024. Dr. Mousilli, great to catch you between your busy international itinerary. Lloyd & Mousilli had quite the banner year and your client deals have made headlines around the world. Can you give us some insight into your firm’s work with international startups? It’s been a fantastic year for the firm and our international clients. Whether it’s a Croatian drone tech startup like Orqa or a Silicon Valley Artificial Intelligence generated video leader like Tavus , Lloyd & Mousilli’s focus has always been to provide comprehensive legal support to startups, with a focus on technology transactions and intellectual property matters. We specialize in counseling startups through international expansion, with lawyers strategically located across the U.S., as well as in Medellín, Colombia, Kyiv, Ukraine and most recently, Istanbul, Turkiye. Many of our clients approach us at the pre-launch or early stages of their journey, giving us the opportunity to help them build a strong foundation through services like corporate structuring, contract drafting, and IP protection strategies. Our distributed team model enables us to serve clients globally, breaking down barriers typically associated with more conventional law firms and has earned L&M recognition by Chambers . You mentioned Ukraine – who’s doing business there? We also noted from your profile that you’re a Fulbright Professor and taught in Ukraine, what’s an American lawyer doing in a war zone? Ukraine has long been a country very dear to me since my first visit in 2014 during the Euro Maidan revolution. L&M has a long history of representing Ukrainian startups, like Preply and Mosqitter and many others. In 2020, I was nominated for and granted a Fulbright Specialist Award to teach intellectual property and technology law as a visiting professor in Europe. I began teaching IP and technology commercialization courses at Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, The National Technical University of Ukraine Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute (KPI), and the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy. The courses focused on developing intellectual property strategies for patents and trademarks, building patent portfolios, software licensing, and commercialization of inventions and business ideas. Unfortunately, with the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, the U.S. State Department ordered all US personnel to evacuate the country in 2022. Our firm has continued to represent startups in Ukraine’s war zones, from Donoetsk to Kharkiv and just recently successfully prosecuted a patent for a water ionization technology where the founder was MIA in the contested territories. Personally, I also continue to teach university law classes, albeit online. Feras Mousilli presentation to Venture Capital conference. Photo courtesy Unit City, Kyiv, Ukraine. Very inspiring that Lloyd & Mousilli is able to operate and support startups in war zones like Ukraine. Can you tell us more about being a Fulbright Specialist and what the program entails? The Fulbright Specialist Program connects established U.S. academics and experts with institutions abroad to develop institutional relationships, learn about other cultures, and contribute their knowledge through research and teaching. Fulbright specialists are competitively selected from a vast range of professional disciplines based on significant experience in their respective fields, as well as rigorous ethical and character fitness. I am considered an expert in the field of intellectual property and technology law. After Ukraine, I was then offered another visiting professorship through the Fulbright program in 2023 at University Tecnologico de Antioquia in Medellín, Colombia. During my time at Tecnologico de Antioquia, my primary focus was on researching and lecturing about the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Colombia. This concentration included contributing to the university’s academic curriculum revisions to better incorporate IP and technology commercialization content, as well as authoring a data-based report and presentation about the state of the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Colombia. I also organized the university’s first-ever business startup pitch competition , sponsored by Lloyd & Mousilli, where I trained participating student teams to effectively present their businesses to potential investors. Professor Mousilli with university faculty. Photo courtesy University Tecnologico de Antioquia, Medellin. You mentioned that you recently opened an office in Istanbul, Turkey. Congratulations on the new office in the old world! Can you provide insight into what led to that decision? The decision to establish a base for Lloyd & Mousilli in Istanbul is both personal and strategic. Turkey has a thriving economy, a growing entrepreneurial ecosystem, and immense potential for cross-border collaboration. Our new law firm office in Nişantaşı represents our commitment to fostering innovation and supporting businesses in the region. L&M has long advised U.S. clients on Turkish trademark and other intellectual property matters, leveraging our knowledge of the Turkish legal system and familiarity with Turkey’s startup ecosystem. The new Istanbul office will serve as a bridge for businesses navigating cross-border opportunities between Türkiye and the United States, as well as across the Middle East and Central Asia. Feras Mousilli, Turkish Bar President, & Ahmet Arslan. Photo courtesy Turkish Bar Association. These international startup stories are remarkable, but we are curious how it all started in Silicon Valley. Can you tell us about your time at Apple and your work there? Being a lawyer for Apple was the ultimate dream job for a technology lawyer. It was an interesting journey for me, since I was recruited from my role at Dell by Apple to serve as Special Projects Counsel on a special, and at the time, unreleased secret project. As it turned out, I would serve as the original lawyer on the Apple Watch – the most personal computer that Apple ever launched. While I didn’t realize it at the time, the Apple recruiters had been keenly interested in my degrees in Biomedical Engineering and Computer Science Engineering from Johns Hopkins University. It made sense given all the biometric and health data and technology that is packed into the device. In addition to the Apple Watch, as Senior Corporate Counsel at Apple, I advised on the entire gamut of product development and intellectual property matters. This included advertising, marketing, copyright, and trademark strategies and risks. I was also responsible for the Made For iOS (“MFi”) ecosystem – CarPlay, HomeKit, AirPlay – basically the legal support for the technical specifications and resources needed to create accessories that communicate with Apple devices using MFi technologies and components. While it was very stimulating to work for tech giants Apple and Dell, I found that I was drawn more towards working with early stage companies and startups. We have a real love for founders and the energy that they bring to their startups. We jokingly refer to the team at Lloyd & Mousilli as “nerds & geeks” – everyone is super nerdy and passionate about their subject matter and they bring an academic rigor to solving these real world problems on behalf of our clients. We realize that for these startups, everything needs to align for their success and we are simply delighted to be a partner to their business. Professor Mousilli teaches Intellectual Property. Photo courtesy Taras Shevchenko University. Deeply motivating. Any closing words of advice to startups or first time founders? Being a startup founder is a fundamentally irrational path. The odds are stacked against you- statistically most startups fail. But for those founders that do it anyway, they are driven by a grander vision – a passion that fuels them to pursue the idea anyway. Like our client Deepen that is trying to change the future through autonomous vehicles or AiXplain that wants to democratize artificial intelligence, these visions are life changing for humanity. My advice to these founders is to make sure you surround yourself with people that can fuel your drive and share your enthusiasm to make positive changes. Your legal advisor has to not only share your vision, but also needs to align on your risk tolerance, as well. Find a lawyer that focuses on the solutions when everyone else is caught up in the problems. Dr. Feras Mousilli in Houston, Texas. Photo courtesy Ammar Selo Photography. 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Mayfield says streaking Bucs will have to play even better down the stretch to return to playoffs TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Baker Mayfield already has matched his career high for touchdown passes in a season, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have won three straight games to climb back to the top of the NFC South standings. Fred Goodall, The Associated Press Dec 9, 2024 12:59 PM Dec 9, 2024 1:05 PM Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) runbs away from Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby (98) during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara) TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Baker Mayfield already has matched his career high for touchdown passes in a season, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have won three straight games to climb back to the top of the NFC South standings. The quarterback is trying to lead Tampa Bay to a fourth consecutive division title, and he thinks the Buccaneers (7-6) are going to have to play even better down the stretch not only to achieve their goal of earning a playoff berth but making a deep postseason run. “We will take wins. I don’t really care how it looks,” Mayfield said after a sloppy 28-13 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders lifted Tampa Bay back over .500 in its bid to overcome a stretch in which it lost five of six games. “But offensively, we will have to be a lot more consistent for us to be able to make this push that we want to do, and we know that,” Mayfield added. “There is a lot of ball left, and we have to continue to get better.” Mayfield threw for 295 yards and three touchdowns against the Raiders. He also turned the ball over three times in the first half to help Las Vegas stay close until the fourth quarter. This is the third straight season the Bucs have needed a strong stretch run to pull out of a midseason tailspin and give themselves a chance to get back to the postseason. Mayfield has thrown for 28 TDs to match the total he threw in resurrecting a stalled career with Tampa Bay a year ago. The Bucs, 7-1 in December/January games dating to last season, are the only NFC team that made the playoffs each of the past four seasons. “We’ve got four weeks to play. We’re happy to be playing meaningful football in December. We understand what that means,” coach Todd Bowles said. “We have to go out every week and try to squeeze out these games, but it feels good.” What’s working The improvement of the running game has been a big part of the team’s success. The Bucs rushed for 152 yards against the Raiders, giving them 100-plus on the ground in 10 of 13 games. They reached that number in nine of 34 games over the previous two regular seasons. Rachaad White scored the team’s 14th rushing touchdown. That’s one more than the Bucs had combined in 2022 (five) and 2023 (eight). What needs help While the offensive line opened gaping holes for the running game against Las Vegas, it failed to provide adequate pass protection for Mayfield. The Raiders had four sacks and eight quarterback hits. Mayfield was intercepted twice and lost a fumble that led to Las Vegas’ only touchdown. Stock up Rookie WR Jalen McMillan had four receptions for 59 yards and two TDs — all season highs — against the Raiders. He’s the first Tampa Bay rookie with multiple TDs receiving in a game since O.J. Howard in 2017. Stock down Rookie punter Jack Browning didn’t distinguish himself in his Bucs debut. After hitting a 49-yarder that was returned 16 yards on his first punt, he had a 39-yarder returned 14 yards and a 40-yarder that Raiders punt returner Ameer Abdullah was able to fair catch at the Las Vegas 20. “It’s a work in progress,” Bowles said of how Browning, the third punter the Bucs have used this season, looked. “I’m going to brush it off to rookie jitters and we’ll go from there.” Injuries S Antoine Winfield Jr (knee) and RB Bucky Irving (back) were lost during the first half against the Raiders. Bowles said Monday that Winfield may be sidelined a couple of weeks, meaning he could miss road games against the Los Angeles Chargers and Dallas Cowboys. Irving’s status will be determined later in the week. Key numbers 19, 37 1/2. LB Lavonte David continues to impress in his 13th season. He had a sack, quarterback hit and fumble recovery against Las Vegas. The fumble recovery was the 19th of his career, most among players since he entered the NFL in 2012. He has 37 1/2 career sacks, including four this season. Next up Visit the Chargers, the only opponent the Bucs will face over the remaining four games that has a winning record. ___ NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl Fred Goodall, The Associated Press See a typo/mistake? Have a story/tip? This has been shared 0 times 0 Shares Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message Get your daily Victoria news briefing Email Sign Up More Football (NFL) Saquon Barkley is chasing Eric Dickerson's NFL season rushing record. Can he do it? Dec 9, 2024 1:01 PM Jets still struggling to secure wins and stop blowing late leads in another playoff-less season Dec 9, 2024 1:00 PM Steelers believe they're Super Bowl contenders. The next 3 weeks will see if they're right Dec 9, 2024 12:29 PM

France's Macron to appoint new prime minister 'in coming days' as he vows to finish termBANGKOK — Japanese automakers Honda and Nissan will attempt to merge and create the world's third-largest automaker by sales as the industry undergoes dramatic changes in its transition away from fossil fuels. The two companies said they had signed a memorandum of understanding on Monday and that smaller Nissan alliance member Mitsubishi Motors also had agreed to join the talks on integrating their businesses. Honda will initially lead the new management, retaining the principles and brands of each company. Following is a quick look at what a combined Honda and Nissan would mean for the companies, and for the auto industry. Nissan Chief Executive Makoto Uchida, left, and Honda Chief Executive Toshihiro Mibe, center, and Takao Kato CEO of Mitsubishi Motors, right, arrive to attend a joint news conference Monday, Dec. 23, 2024, in Tokyo, Japan. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko) Eugene Hoshiko The ascent of Chinese automakers is rattling the industry at a time when manufacturers are struggling to shift from fossil fuel-driven vehicles to electrics. Relatively inexpensive EVs from China's BYD, Great Wall and Nio are eating into the market shares of U.S. and Japanese car companies in China and elsewhere. Japanese automakers have lagged behind big rivals in EVs and are now trying to cut costs and make up for lost time. Nissan, Honda and Mitsubishi announced in August that they will share components for electric vehicles like batteries and jointly research software for autonomous driving to adapt better to dramatic changes in the auto industry centered around electrification. A preliminary agreement between Honda, Japan's second-largest automaker, and Nissan, third largest, was announced in March. A merger could result in a behemoth worth about $55 billion based on the market capitalization of all three automakers. Joining forces would help the smaller Japanese automakers add scale to compete with Japan's market leader Toyota Motor Corp. and with Germany's Volkswagen AG. Toyota itself has technology partnerships with Japan's Mazda Motor Corp. and Subaru Corp. Nissan Chief Executive Makoto Uchida, left, Honda Chief Executive Toshihiro Mibe, center, and Takao Kato, CEO of Mitsubishi Motors, right, pose for photographers during a joint news conference in Tokyo, Japan, Monday, Dec. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko) Eugene Hoshiko Nissan has truck-based body-on-frame large SUVs such as the Armada and Infiniti QX80 that Honda doesn't have, with large towing capacities and good off-road performance, said Sam Fiorani, vice president of AutoForecast Solutions. Nissan also has years of experience building batteries and electric vehicles, and gas-electric hybird powertrains that could help Honda in developing its own EVs and next generation of hybrids, he said. Listen now and subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSS Feed | SoundStack | All Of Our Podcasts "Nissan does have some product segments where Honda doesn't currently play," that a merger or partnership could help, said Sam Abuelsamid, a Detroit-area automotive industry analsyt. While Nissan's electric Leaf and Ariya haven't sold well in the U.S., they're solid vehicles, Fiorani said. "They haven't been resting on their laurels, and they have been developing this technology," he said. "They have new products coming that could provide a good platform for Honda for its next generation." Nissan said last month that it was slashing 9,000 jobs, or about 6% of its global work force, and reducing global production capacity by 20% after reporting a quarterly loss of 9.3 billion yen ($61 million). Earlier this month it reshuffled its management and its chief executive, Makoto Uchida, took a 50% pay cut to take responsibility for the financial woes, saying Nissan needed to become more efficient and respond better to market tastes, rising costs and other global changes. Fitch Ratings recently downgraded Nissan's credit outlook to "negative," citing worsening profitability, partly due to price cuts in the North American market. But it noted that it has a strong financial structure and solid cash reserves that amounted to 1.44 trillion yen ($9.4 billion). Nissan's share price has fallen to the point where it is considered something of a bargain. A report in the Japanese financial magazine Diamond said talks with Honda gained urgency after the Taiwan maker of iPhones Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., better known as Foxconn, began exploring a possible acquisition of Nissan as part of its push into the EV sector. The company has struggled for years following a scandal that began with the arrest of its former chairman Carlos Ghosn in late 2018 on charges of fraud and misuse of company assets, allegations that he denies. He eventually was released on bail and fled to Lebanon. Honda reported its profits slipped nearly 20% in the first half of the April-March fiscal year from a year earlier, as sales suffered in China. Toyota made 11.5 million vehicles in 2023, while Honda rolled out 4 million and Nissan produced 3.4 million. Mitsubishi Motors made just over 1 million. Even after a merger Toyota would remain the leading Japanese automaker. All the global automakers are facing potential shocks if President-elect Donald Trump follows through on threats to raise or impose tariffs on imports of foreign products, even from allies like Japan and neighboring countries like Canada and Mexico. Nissan is among the major car companies that have adjusted their supply chains to include vehicles assembled in Mexico. Meanwhile, analysts say there is an "affordability shift" taking place across the industry, led by people who feel they cannot afford to pay nearly $50,000 for a new vehicle. In American, a vital market for companies like Nissan, Honda and Toyota, that's forcing automakers to consider lower pricing, which will eat further into industry profits. ____ AP Auto Writer Tom Krisher contributed to this report from Detroit. Airbags, advanced driver assistance features, and high-strength materials mean that the safest cars today are far better at protecting people from injuries than ever before. Although most new cars compare well to their predecessors, some stand above the rest. The safest cars for 2025 offer excellent occupant protection and also do a good job of preventing accidents from happening in the first place. Based on testing data from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety , or IIHS, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration , or NHTSA, these are some of the safest cars available today. Ranging from inexpensive compact cars and mainstream midsize sedans to stylish station wagons, posh luxury cars, and sporty coupes and convertibles, Edmunds shares a list that has something for just about everyone. For those who prefer a higher seating position and maybe some added practicality, Edmunds' list of safest SUVs is for you. Toyota 2025 Mazda 3 The stylish Mazda 3 has a lot to offer compact-car shoppers, including great looks, a composed driving experience, and reasonable fuel economy from its base 2.0-liter engine. It's also one of the safest cars in its class, earning a perfect five stars in NHTSA crash testing and sterling crashworthiness and collision avoidance scores from the IIHS. Its standard features are forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, and lane departure prevention. Base price: $25,135 NHTSA rating: five stars IIHS rating: Top Safety Pick+ Edmunds Rating: 7.6 (out of 10) 2025 Honda Civic With mature styling, a premium interior, and an efficient hybrid powertrain option, the 2025 Honda Civic is a great option if safety is a concern since it aces almost all of the IIHS' crash tests and earns a five-star safety rating from the federal government. It also comes standard with adaptive cruise control, lane departure prevention, and forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking. The Civic falls short slightly in the IIHS' updated moderate overlap front test, which now accounts for rear passenger safety, but even so, it's one of the safest cars in its class. Base price: $25,345 NHTSA rating: five stars IIHS rating: Top Safety Pick+ Edmunds Rating: 8.2 (out of 10) 2025 Mini Cooper Reflective of parent company BMW, today's Mini Cooper is well constructed and features premium safety features that belie its small size, including automatic emergency braking and forward collision warning. Although the Mini hasn't been tested by NHTSA, the IIHS gives the Cooper its highest score of Good in the original driver-side small overlap front, moderate overlap front, and side-impact tests. That said, the IIHS doesn't place the Cooper on its Top Safety Pick or Top Safety Pick+ lists since it hasn't been evaluated on the updated battery of passenger-side small overlap front, moderate overlap front, or side-impact tests. Expect the new-for-2025 Mini Cooper to earn decent crash ratings in those scenarios, especially since it shares its strong platform with the outgoing model. Base price: $33,195 NHTSA rating: not tested IIHS rating: not rated Edmunds Rating: 7.5 (out of 10) 2025 Toyota Prius With its recent redesign, the Toyota Prius transformed from a frumpy little caterpillar to a stylish and efficient butterfly. It also became a very safe hybrid hatchback. Perfect scores in all of its government and IIHS crash tests, as well as a sophisticated system of collision avoidance technology, earn it top marks. It's also one of our favorite cars on the market, period, as evidenced by its status as a 2024 Edmunds Top Rated vehicle. Base price (2024): $29,045 NHTSA rating: five stars IIHS rating: Top Safety Pick+ Edmunds Rating: 8.0 (out of 10) Honda 2025 Honda Accord The Honda Accord is among the safest midsize sedans on the market today thanks to excellent crashworthiness scores and a competent standard collision prevention system. It's a Top Safety Pick+, beating out rivals like the Hyundai Sonata, Kia K5, and Subaru Legacy, and the Accord also earns a perfect five-star rating from NHTSA. Honda's hybrid-intensive product planning is on full display here—all but the two lowest Accord trims have a hybrid powertrain—and it's also among the most spacious cars in its class. Base price: $29,390 NHTSA rating: five stars IIHS rating: Top Safety Pick+ Edmunds Rating: 8.0 (out of 10) 2025 Toyota Camry Like its Honda Accord rival, the Toyota Camry is also an IIHS Top Safety Pick+ with a five-star NHTSA rating. It also has a very impressive suite of driver assistance and safety technology, including lane departure prevention with active centering, full-speed adaptive cruise control, and automatic emergency braking. The Camry edges out the Accord in IIHS testing thanks to a more effective collision avoidance system, but both cars are remarkably well matched otherwise. Base price: $29,495 NHTSA rating: five stars IIHS rating: Top Safety Pick+ Edmunds Rating: 8.1 (out of 10) 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 6 The fully electric Hyundai Ioniq 6 offers excellent safety and collision prevention, with excellent scores across the entire line of IIHS tests. The Ioniq 6 hasn't been tested for rollover resistance by NHTSA, but it earned a four-star front safety rating and a five-star side-impact rating in government tests. Like most EVs, the Hyundai Ioniq 6 comes standard with forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, and lane departure prevention. It also offers up to 342 miles of all-electric driving in its longest-range trim level. Base price: $38,900 NHTSA rating: not rated IIHS rating: Top Safety Pick+ Edmunds Rating: 8.1 (out of 10) Hyundai 2025 Acura Integra The Acura Integra is a close mechanical cousin to the Honda Civic, so it's no surprise it does well in both the IIHS' and NHTSA's crash tests. The luxury hatchback is a Top Safety Pick+ and earns a perfect five stars in government testing. The AcuraWatch safety suite is standard on the Integra, bringing automatic emergency braking, lane centering, lane departure prevention, and adaptive cruise control. Base price: $34,195 NHTSA rating: five stars IIHS rating: Top Safety Pick+ Edmunds Rating: 7.4 (out of 10) 2025 Mercedes-Benz C-Class The Mercedes-Benz C-Class is a safe option in the popular small luxury sedan segment thanks to its good scores in IIHS crash testing. Mercedes' best-selling sedan also comes standard with automatic emergency braking and forward collision warning, which helps it earn a Top Safety Pick award. However, it hasn't been tested by the NHTSA. Base price: $49,600 NHTSA rating: not rated IIHS rating: Top Safety Pick Edmunds Rating: 7.9 (out of 10) 2025 Genesis G80 Both the Genesis G80 and the fully electric Genesis Electrified G80 earn a Top Safety Pick+ score from the IIHS thanks to their good scores on the agency's crash tests, as well as a comprehensive suite of active safety features that avoided collisions with simulated pedestrians. The internal-combustion-engine G80 earned a perfect five-star safety rating from NHTSA, and although the Electrified G80 hasn't been tested by the feds just yet, it should likely excel in those tests too. Base price: $58,350 NHTSA rating: five stars IIHS rating: Top Safety Pick+ Edmunds Rating: 8.0 (out of 10) 2025 Genesis G90 The flagship Genesis G90 sedan competes with the Mercedes-Benz S-Class and BMW 7 Series, and the South Korean automaker clearly hasn't skimped on safety in its fight against the establishment. Although it hasn't been subjected to the NHTSA array of tests, it aced almost all of its IIHS tests, and a long list of standard active safety and driver assistance features sets it apart from the stingy German makes that charge extra for them. Base price: $90,450 NHTSA rating: not rated IIHS rating: Top Safety Pick+ Edmunds Rating: 8.1 (out of 10) Genesis 2025 Volvo V60 With handsome styling and a well-finished interior, the Volvo V60 is a very appealing station wagon for those looking for such a thing. It's also quite safe, with good crashworthiness scores in the IIHS' original moderate overlap front and side-impact scores. Unfortunately, since it hasn't been tested with the updated versions of those tests, it didn't earn this year's Top Safety Pick award, but it was called a Top Safety Pick+ in 2022. NHTSA also gives the V60 a five-star safety rating. Base price: $51,495 NHTSA rating: five stars IIHS rating: not rated Edmunds Rating: 7.9 (out of 10) 2025 Mercedes-Benz E 450 All-Terrain Although the Mercedes-Benz E 450 All-Terrain isn't a traditional wagon — it follows the lifted almost-crossover formula shared with the Audi A6 Allroad and Volvo V90 Cross Country — we'll take what we can get in this dwindling category. The All-Terrain hasn't been tested by the IIHS or NHTSA, but a previous-generation E-Class earned a 2023 Top Safety Pick+ award, and Mercedes isn't the kind of company that goes backward when it comes to safety. The E 450 All-Terrain comes standard with automatic emergency braking and forward collision warning, though, at this price, Benz should just make other active safety features standard. Base price: $75,850 NHTSA rating: five stars IIHS rating: Top Safety Pick+ Edmunds Rating: 8.5 (out of 10) 2025 Audi A6 Allroad With a five-star NHTSA safety rating, standard forward collision warning and emergency braking, and excellent IIHS crashworthiness scores on its original tests, the Audi A6 Allroad does a good job protecting people (both passengers and pedestrians) from crashes. However, since the IIHS hasn't subjected the Allroad to its updated side and moderate front crash criteria, it lost its Top Safety Pick+ status in 2022. Still, it should be a fine option for luxury longroof shoppers. Base price: $70,395 NHTSA rating: five stars IIHS rating: not rated Edmunds Rating: 7.6 (out of 10) Audi 2025 Ford Mustang Both the Ford Mustang coupe and convertible perform well in crash testing. The coupe received a five-star safety rating from NHTSA, and both variants scored decently on all the IIHS tests they've undergone. They also come standard with forward collision warning, lane departure prevention, and automatic emergency braking. However, the IIHS needs to test both models on its updated criteria before it will rate them. Base price: $33,515 NHTSA rating: five stars IIHS rating: not rated Edmunds Rating: 7.9 (out of 10) 2025 Toyota GR86 Although the government hasn't tested it, the Toyota GR86 aced all of its IIHS crashworthiness tests when it was new for the 2022 model year. Unfortunately, since it hasn't been subjected to the IIHS' updated testing since then, it lost its Top Safety Pick+ status. Still, this is a fun-to-drive, sporty coupe that comes standard with a long list of active safety features, and it's reasonably priced to boot. Base price: $31,085 NHTSA rating: not rated IIHS rating: not rated Edmunds Rating: 8.2 (out of 10) 2025 Subaru BRZ Mechanically identical to the Toyota GR86, the 2025 Subaru BRZ achieves the same safety ratings—who would have thought? It likewise received a Top Safety Pick+ score in 2022 that lapsed when the IIHS updated its criteria for 2023, but like the Toyota, it has a long list of active safety features to go along with its lightweight, rip-roaring sports car attitude. Base price: $32,365 NHTSA rating: not rated IIHS rating: not rated Edmunds Rating: 8.3 (out of 10) 2025 Audi A5 The Audi A5 lost its traditional two-door coupe body style after 2024, but the five-door Sportback body style remains before it's replaced later in 2025. Although it hasn't seen the IIHS' more stringent test regimen, its original crashworthiness scores were good enough to earn it a Top Safety Pick award as recently as 2022. The Sportback is the only variant to be tested by the government, where it earned a five-star safety rating. Base price: $49,965 NHTSA rating: five stars IIHS rating: not rated Edmunds Rating: not rated This story was produced by Edmunds and reviewed and distributed by Stacker. Ford